Metal forming tool



Dec. l0, 1940.

J. W. JOSEPH EI'AL METAL FORMINGT'OOL Filed March 1o; 19:59`

d. W Joss/H AL WMA/57 Patented Dec. 10, 1.940

UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE METAL FoRMrNGTooL Application March 10,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to metal forming tools, and more particularly to a tool for splicing wires by rolling a metallic connecting sleeve into intimate contact with abutting ends of the wires.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and efcient tool of the ty-pe above referred to. A- One embodiment of the invention contemplates a sleeve rolling tool comprising a pair of cooperating pressure rollers, one of which is segmented to provide two or more separated arcuate surfaces of different lengths for selective cooperation with the other roller to roll connecting sleeves of correspondingly different lengths. An operating hand lever is provided which is quickly reversible to permit convenient manipulation thereof when either of the arcuate surfaces of the segmented roller is in operative relationship with the other roller.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Figs. 1 and 2 are front .and side elevational Views, respectively, of a sleeve rolling tool embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevational View of a portion of the tool, showing the segmented roller in starting position and a connecting sleeve in position to be engaged by the rollers;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but shows the segmented roller in an intermediate position and the connecting sleeve partially rolled, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawing, the sleeve rolling tool illustrated therein comprises a handle member I0 having an enlarged offset end portion II to which a pair of stub shafts I2 and I3 are secured in spaced parallel relationship, as best shown in Fig. 5. A pair of cooperating pressure rollers I5 and I6 are rotatably mounted on the shafts I2 .and I3, respectively. One of the rollers, preferably the lower one I5, is somewhat larger than the other roller and is segmented, as shown, to provide two arcuate surfaces I'I and I8 separated by flat surfaces I9 and 20. The arcuate surfaces II and I8 are of different lengths and are adapted to be selectively brought into operative relation with the upper roller I5 by means of a hand lever 22. This hand lever has a dovetail groove 23 slidably engaging the heads of a pair of diametrically opposed studs 24, 2t attached to the segmented roller, so that the hand lever is quickly reversible to permit con- 1939, semina. 260,948

venient manipulation thereof when either of the arcuate surfaces of the segmented roller is employed.'`

The flat surfaces I8 and 20 permit insertion of the wires to be spliced between the two rollers, and also permit withdrawal of the spliced wires from between the rollers without returning the rollers to their starting positions. Thus, when onel of v theflat'surfaoes is in position to permit insertion of the Wires to be spliced, the other iiat 10 surface .arrives in position to permit withdrawal of the wires at the completion of the splicing operation. The particular flat surface that is moved into position to permit insertion of the wires to be spliced will, of course, depend upon 15 rotated directly by the hand lever, and the upper roller is free to rotate independently of the lower roller. Thus, a simple and inexpensive construction is provided.

The upper roller is preferably provided with two or more annular grooves 26, 26 of different radii for accommodating wire connecting sleeves of different diameters, and the arcuate surfaces of the segmented lower roller are provided with similar grooves 21, 2'I for cooperation with the grooves of the upper roller.

The operation of the tool, when employed to splice two wires 28 and 29 by means of a connecting sleeve 30, is as follows:

Ifl the length of the connecting sleeve corresponds to the length of the longer arcuate surface I'I of the segmented lower roller, the lower roller is rotated by hand lever 22 to the position shown in Fig. 3, in which the flat surface I9 is in position to permit insertion of the wires to be spliced. The end portions of the wires, having been inserted in opposite ends, of the connecting sleeve, the wires and sleeve are then inserted between the rollers, after which the segmented roller is rotated by hand lever 22, causing the connecting sleeve to be rolled between the upper roller and the arcuate surface I1 of the lower roller, as shown in Fig. 4. At the completion of the rolling operation, the other flat surface 20 of the lower roller arrives in position to permit withdrawal of the spliced Wires, as explained above. If the length of the connecting sleeve corresponds to the shorter arcuate surface I8 of the lower roller, then the lower roller is first rtated to a position in which the flat surface 20 is in position to permit insertion of the Wires, in which case the ilat surface I9 would arrive in position to permit withdrawal of the wires after the completion of the rolling operation. When employing the shorter arcuate surface I 8, the lower roller will assume the position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 4 at the completion of approximately one-half of the rolling operation.l

Itis to be understood, of course, that the segmented roller may have more than two arcuate surfaces of different lengths and that more than two sleeve receiving grooves, such as 26 and 21, may be provided in each of the rollers to accommodate connecting sleeves of several different lengths and diameters. Also, other changes and modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as expressed in the .appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A sleeve-rolling tool comprising a pair of cooperating pressure rollers, one of which is segmented to provide a plurality of sleeve rolling surfaces of different lengths for selective cooperation with the other roller, and a hand lever for rotating said segmented roller, said hand lever being reversible to permit convenient manipulation thereof when any one of said arcuate surfaces of the segmented roller is in operative relation with the other roller.

2. A sleeve rolling tool for splicing wires, comprising a pair of cooperating pressure rollers, one of which is segmented to provide spaced flat surfaces and an arcuate sleeve rolling surface therebetween for cooperation with the other roller, said arcuate sleeve rolling surface being of a length approximating the length of the sleeve to be rolled, one of said flat surfaces permitting insertion of the wires to be spliced between the two rollers While the other flat surface permits withdrawal of the spliced wires.

3. In a tool for splicing Wires by rolling a metallic connecting sleeve into intimate contact with abutting ends of the wires, a pair of cooperating pressure rollers, one of which is segmented to provide a, plurality of arcuate sleeve rolling surfaces for selective cooperation with the other roller, and means for rotating the segmented roller to position a selected one of said sleeve rolling surfaces in operative Vrelation to the other roller. l

JAY W. JOSEPH.

ARDEN L. VAN NEST. 

